Cliché Development
Chapter 11: Cliché Development
Since that stupid soul had absorbed his rewards midway, the system had glitched. Now, whenever Aerich wanted to receive rewards, the system displayed an error.
Aerich wasn't too worried. He had already reached the peak of Qi Refining and would be able to break through soon. But after that?
System... is there any way to fix this error?
[Host, you need to bind to a new target.]
Can I remove Hua Lian from the target list?
[Yes, Host. It is possible.]
Then remove her.
[Hua Lian has been removed.]
Aerich sighed. Hua Lian had been the best target so far, and he had no idea how long it would take to find another worthy target according to the system's criteria.
That evening, he noticed servants running around, cleaning things that were already spotless. Curious, he stopped a maid.
"Why is everyone so busy?"
"Some guests are arriving soon," she replied before hurrying off.
"What kind of guests arrive at the last minute?" Aerich muttered as he lay back on his bed.
Suddenly, Starry Sky's voice echoed in his mind. "Someone is here."
Aerich sat up, instantly alert. Moments later, his father, Yu Zhong, appeared in the doorway.
"Good instincts," Yu Zhong remarked, clearly proud. Despite his son's seemingly lazy demeanor, Aerich was always alert and observant of his surroundings.
"Well, you're useful for once. But calm down—he's my father." Aerich mentally nudged Starry Sky.
"Humph!" Starry Sky snorted but went quiet.
Yu Zhong entered the room with a faint smile. "Aerich, tomorrow my friend and his daughter will be arriving. She'll be staying with us for some time. Try to get along with her—she's around your age."
Aerich's body stiffened.
How could he not understand the implication behind that subtle glint in his father's eyes?
It would have been fine if the girl were someone with a similar status, but she...
She was the first heroine—the childhood sweetheart. But these feelings had always been one-sided in the original story. The previous Aerich had been infatuated with her, but she didn't start liking him until much later.
But that didn't matter anymore. The previous Aerich had died long ago, and the villain had married her with ease, given their similar statuses. After all, she was originally the villain's fiancée.
Death flags everywhere.
Suddenly, an idea struck him. I could just make her my sister. It wasn't because he didn't like her, but he couldn't afford to form deep ties with others. When he eventually surpassed their lifespans, he would be left alone. If she somehow survived until the end, then… maybe he'd consider it.
"I'll try, Father. But you know I don't even like going out."
"Yeah, I know. Just entertain her for a few days and introduce her to our territory. After that, I'll take over." Yu Zhong understood his son's predicament and didn't press further. Though matchmaking was tempting, he had heard the girl already had a fiancée—and one with a much higher status.
All Yu Zhong wanted was for his son to build a few connections to survive in this cruel world.
"Oh, and Father—could you send me some fighting technique scrolls?"
Aerich almost forgot the most important thing. Now that he had reached the peak of Qi Refining, it was time to start learning fighting techniques.
"Here. Take this token to the Technique Hall and choose any 'Earth Fate' technique you like."
Yu Zhong handed him a hazel-colored token with intricate designs. It was about the size of a modern smartphone, made of wood, and had "Technique Hall" written on it in bold characters.
"Father, why can't I practice 'Sky Fate' techniques?" Aerich asked out of curiosity.
"It's because the internal structure of Earth Fate meridians is completely different from Sky Fate. While you can practice Sky Fate techniques, it puts too much pressure on your meridians. Earth Fate talent has only thirty-six meridians open, while Sky Fate talent has seventy-two."
Yu Zhong explained calmly. It was a common question among Earth Fate cultivators. If someone awakened a talent higher than Earth Fate, they could practice techniques of lower rank without any issue.
"Practice hard. You only have five years left before you must leave the family, make a name for yourself, or join a sect." With that, Yu Zhong vanished from the room like he was never there.
Aerich had already planned to join a sect when he turned fifteen. It was the easiest path compared to being a mercenary. As a sect member, even an outer disciple, the sect's reputation would protect him. No one would dare kill him recklessly, unlike in the mercenary world.
"If you wanted techniques, you could have just asked me," Starry Sky chimed in, confused.
Was this boy crazy, or did he genuinely not care about fame and fortune?
Aerich had told Starry Sky from the beginning that he would pass this opportunity on to someone else. Starry Sky had scoffed then. How could anyone resist the chance to reach the upper realm? But Aerich was proving to be a tough nut to crack.
"I told you—I got this locket by accident. It must have been someone else's opportunity. I'm not a greedy person. Someone else might need this more than me. Save your knowledge, and besides, I don't even have the talent to cross the Core Condensation Realm. How could I ascend?"
Starry Sky was shocked. How could someone be so selfless?
It had to admit Aerich's talent was abysmal. With a monstrous prodigy, Starry Sky could achieve its goal much faster. Still, it felt guilty for accidentally absorbing Aerich's cultivation and wanted to compensate somehow.
"Why don't you learn something from me as compensation for devouring your cultivation?"
"What's done is done. You unintentionally absorbed my cultivation, so you don't need to feel guilty." Aerich's words were honest.
But deep inside, Aerich thought about Starry Sky's situation. It wasn't the soul's fault. Starry Sky must have been living a decent life before some author killed it off to turn it into a plot device for a "destined person."
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